Fahmi To Meet Penang House Of Music Operator Ahead Of Closure

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Paul Augustin strumming a skiffle bass instrument at the Penang House of Music.PETALING JAYA: Communications minister Fahmi Fadzil will hold a meeting with the operator of the Penang House of Music (PHoM) ahead of its imminent closure.
Fahmi said he has already reached out to the operator of the centre, which serves as a repository of Penang’s musical heritage, to set an appointment so that he can better understand their situation.
“I will be meeting them soon,” he told FMT.
PHoM founder and musician Paul Augustin earlier cited financial constraints which snowballed due to the Covid-19 pandemic as the reason for the centre’s imminent closure.
The centre had relied heavily on support from the Penang government for seven years, but Augustin said sustaining the centre became financially challenging after the pandemic caused a major drop in the number of visitors.
He said that since opening its doors in 2016, PHoM remained on TripAdvisor’s top 10 “must visit” spots till today while also being listed by CNN as one of the 25 must-do things in Penang.
PHoM was made possible thanks to a RM3 million sponsorship by the Penang Water Supply Corporation, leading to its opening in 2016.
Located on the fourth floor of Komtar’s ICT Mall, PHoM has been offering visitors a captivating journey through the island’s musical heritage.
From forgotten music genres like “ronggeng” and “bangsawan” to iconic tunes by Penang’s musical luminaries, such as P Ramlee and Zainal Alam, PHoM serves as a vibrant homage to the island’s diverse musical heritage. - FMT

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